This book narrates how the study of the soil became a science and institutionalized in the USA between 1860 and 1960. The story meanders through the activities, ideas, publications, and correspondence of people who influenced the progressions, that led to the budding and early blossoming of American and international soil science. Interwoven is a tale of two farm boys who grew up 900 km apart in the Midwest USA in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Emil Truog and Charles Kellogg met in the late 1920s and shared a natural connection to the soil. Both were practical pioneers and believed that understanding soils was crucial to helping people on the land make a better living. The USA is a big country, its soil science is geographically intertwined, and the cradle of its history primes back to a few people. “Soil Science Americana is an intellectual biography, not of one individual but of a new scientific field from its emergence to its complete coming of age.” — Louise O. Fresco, President, Wageningen University and Research “In a lively, personal voice, Hartemink traces the roots of modern soil science in the United States...creating a book that will engage both the expert and non-expert in the underappreciated field of soil science.” — Jo Handelsman, Director, Wisconsin Institute for Discovery “The intellectual master piece is of interest to soil scientists, general public and the policy makers, and will remain pertinent for generations to come.” — Rattan Lal, World Food Prize Laureate 2020, The Ohio State University

MULTI-SCALE BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES IN SOIL ECOSYSTEMS Provides a state-of-the-art overview of research in soil biogeochemical processes and strategies for greenhouse gas mitigation under climate change Food security and soil health for the rapidly growing human population are threatened by increased temperature and drought, soil erosion and soil quality degradation, and other problems caused by human activities and a changing climate. Because greenhouse gas emission is the primary driver of climate change, a complete understanding of the cycles of carbon and major nutritional elements is critical for developing innovative strategies to sustain agricultural development and environmental conservation. Multi-Scale Biogeochemical Processes in Soil Ecosystems: Critical Reactions and Resilience to Climate Changes is an up-to-date overview of recent research in soil biogeochemical processes and applications in ecosystem management. Organized into three parts, the text examines molecular-scale processes and critical reactions, presents ecosystem-scale studies of ecological hotspots, and discusses large-scale modeling and prediction of global biogeochemical cycles. Part of the Wiley - IUPAC Series on Biophysico-Chemical Processes in Environmental Systems, this authoritative volume: Provides readers with a systematic and interdisciplinary approach to sustainable agricultural development and management of soil ecosystems in a changing climate Features contributions from an international team of leading scientists Examines topics such as soil organic matter stabilization, soil biogeochemistry modeling, and soil responses to environmental changes Discusses strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emission and improving soil health and ecosystems resilience Includes an introduction to working across scales to project soil biogeochemical responses to climatic change Multi-Scale Biogeochemical Processes in Soil Ecosystems: Critical Reactions and Resilience to Climate Changes is essential reading for scientists, engineers, agronomists, chemists, biologists, academic researchers, consultants, and other professionals whose work involves the nutrient cycle, ecosystem management, and climate change.